Boulder, Bryce & Zion

The mountains and high desert of southwest Utah are a cycling and hiking mecca. The Boulder, Bryce and Zion bike tour delivers a combination of nearly car free roads, jaw-dropping scenery and plenty of time to stop and explore. The BBZ tour rides all 124-miles of Utah’s Highway 12. Highway 12 is a bucket list cycling route that is not ridden in its entirety on most Utah bikes tours. If one thinks they have already “done” Utah, they have not ridden Lizard Head Cycling’s Tour of Utah!

We incorporate easily accessible mileage options so that both intermediate and advanced riders can enjoy this land of the petrified red and white sand dunes of the Aquarius, Colorado and Paunsaugunt Plateaus.

Is it too Hot in Utah in the Summer?
Utah is hardly the flat desert many believe it to be, it has mountains and our Boulder, Bryce and Zion tour rides along at elevations from 6,500-feet up to 10,000-feet. With every 1,000-feet of elevation the temperature is 4 to 5 degrees cooler. So the heat is moderated (like it is in Colorado) due to Utah’s significant elevation. For example Moab sits at 4,500-feet and is usually 10 to 20 degrees warmer than the BBZ region.

Additionally in July and August this region of Utah receives afternoon rainfall on almost a daily basis. One would not expect this in a “desert”, but Utah topography creates cloud cover that is great for bike riding because it cools the atmosphere. And finally on warm weeks, we depart early in the morning to ride when it is still cool.

Amazing bike tour with amazing guides. This is an experience not to be missed. This was the first bike tour I have been on and it certainly will not be the last with this team! Looking forward to my next tour. – Denise

On our first trip … there was a group of 13 guys who were maniacs. They wanted a century every day and John helped make that happen with alternate routes for them. The nice thing was, even though these guys were hard core cyclists, at the end of the day, everyone had a great time chatting. – Barb S.

Boulder, Bryce and Zion Bike Tour: Highlights

Highway 12’s Head of the Rocks Section

Bryce Canyon

Zion National Park

Hiking in Zion National Park

The Boulder, Bryce and Zion Bike Tour is similar to our Utah Mountains & National Parks Bike Tour in that it offers fantastic riding, stunning vistas and world-class accommodations. The only difference is that the Utah Mountains bike tour tour is one day longer than the BBZ, so it is one day better 😉

Both our Utah bike tours are designed to offer mileage options for intermediate to advanced level cyclists.

NOTE: Plenty of challenging terrain remains on this tour for those that seek it! 😀

Boulder, Bryce and Zion Bike Tour: Dates

Potential tour dates are listed below and not all tour dates will run. Lock in your preferred tour date early as
unopened
tour dates will be closed. Please see the Spring/Autumn
Tour Calendar and the Summer Tour Calendar
for confirmed departures. Any unopened date can be a Custom Week (9 riders required). Please contact us
via
email or call 970.728.5891

Boulder, Bryce & Zion Tour Cost: $2,600 per person. Group discount of $200 per person for groups of 4 or more. Free bike rental is included with the BBZ bike tour.Please see our Tour Discounts Policy.

Single Room Supplement: Add $425 to the Tour Cost for a private room each night of the tour (5 nights).

Road Bike Rental: Lizard Head Cycling Guides is proud to rent
Scott CR-1 Pro and Scott Solace
carbon road bikes with full Shimano Ultegra components for only $250/week, or $150 for 3 or
4 day tours. Both the CR-1 and Solace models are sub- 17 lb comfortable, high performance
bicycles geared for climbing hills. In addition we also have electric bikes available for
rental at $375/week. And finally we have a selection of straight bar road bikes and kids
bikes in our rental fleet. Just let us know what you need and we can probably find it.

Electric Bike Rental: We now have a limited selection of
SCOTT
electric bikes that can be reserved for our tours. These are road bikes with straight bars that make the
slowest rider the fastest rider in the group. Rental Price is $375/week.

Couples Bike Rental Discount: Sign up as a couple and receive one free
bike high performance rental per couple ($250 value).

Tandems and Recumbents: Lizard Head Cycling Guides happily accommodates
both tandem and recumbent bikes on its tours.

Meals On Tour

Lunches: Lizard Head Cycling Guides prepares healthy lunches to keep
you
going. We will serve you fresh organic fruits and veggies, salads, hummus, sandwich fixings, nuts, gourmet cheeses
and
of course plenty of salty/sweet snacks such as chips and cookies. We pride ourselves on being able to cater to
specific
dietary requests, so rest assured that you will be able to get the nutrition that works for you during the week. Gluten
Free, Dairy Free or a someone who loves it all – we will keep you well fed during the tour!

Dinners: Lizard Head Cycling sources our favorite restaurants in each town that we visit. Our
guides focus on establishments that offer fresh and local ingredients. Guests choose whatever they desire to eat off
the
menu: including appetizer, salad, entree and of course dessert... yum!
Also, while on tour if a guest wants to dine early before the group and go
to bed, this is fine. We understand that on some days sleep is the most important post-ride element.

Overall Route Map

Ability Level: Can I Ride This Tour?

How Fit do I Have to Be?
If one month prior to the tour, you can ride 2 to 3 times a week equalling a total of 75 or more miles a week, you'll
do just fine. We like to jokingly say that "one is ready for a Lizard Head Cycling Tour when they are finished with
tour" and this is true! The only way to simulate a week long bike tour is to go on a week long tour.

Our average rider age is 55 years. These are bike tours, not races so we take our time to stop, take pictures and
see the sights. We have all day to reach our destination and most riders take "bumps" at some points. We offer
reduced mileage options for each day. Of course if someone wants to ride E.F.I. (Every Freaking Inch), we love to
show them all the extra climbs, loops and hidden canyons that can be included!

Do the Bump!
Daily mileage options allow cyclists of varying abilities to enjoy this tour. One of our favorite options is to give
cyclists a "bump" via the support vehicle, or a 10 to 20 mile lift down the road representing an hour of pedal time.
After the bump the rider is "off the front" and riding at his or her own pace without feeling they are being left
behind the group. They'll then have time to linger and take in the spectacular scenery. All cyclists come together in
time for lunch. Afterwards, cyclists can take another bump and/or continue riding.

Seamless Mileage Options
Lizard Head Cycling Guides designs multiple mileage options for each tour – something we're well known for in our
business. This technique is similar to heliskiing in that one does not ski everything, they ski the best. :-)

Slow or Fast?
Many cyclists who sign up for our tours have worried themselves silly about not being able to keep up, but then
they're surprised to find that all the worrying was about nothing. They do just fine! Slow and Fast only exist relative
to other cyclists. Speed does not matter as long as one is moving on the bike. As long as one is moving, they are
truly going fast enough.

If you have questions about your ability to ride this tour, please contact our office via email or call us at
970.728.5891 - we'll more than happy to guide you!

Boulder, Bryce and Zion Bike Tour: Itinerary*

*Tour itineraries are subject to change and
modification based on the group,
available accommodations and other unforeseen circumstances including weather,
wildfires, flooding, hurricanes,
landslides and/or other acts of nature. Please view this itinerary as an outline as to
what to expect on this tour.

Alternatively, guests can also fly into the smaller St. George Municipal Airport (SGU) which is serviced by Delta Air Lines from Salt Lake City, Utah and United Airlines from Denver, Colorado.

St. George, Utah

Day 1: Boulder Mountain Ride20-35 Miles of riding with up to 4,000′ of climbing

The tour meets in St. George at 6:00 AM and departs shortly thereafter. After the shuttle the riding starts in Torrey, Utah at the start of Utah’s Scenic Highway 12. On this tour cyclists will ride all 124 miles of this world class cycling route. On this first day Highway 12 climbs up to 9,300-foot Boulder Mountain. Cyclists can choose to engage the entire climb or be shuttled to the top. From the top it is a 3,000-foot descent to our favorite lodge of all, the Boulder Mountain Lodge.

Along Highway 12 near Torrey, Utah

Stunning views from Highway 12!

Elevation Profile: +3865 ft / -4022 ft

Day 2: Burr Trail, Long Canyon and Calf Creek Falls35-65 Miles of riding with 5,000′ of climbing; 6 Mile world class hike

On Day 2 be amazed as you ride the Burr Trail past the 400-foot tall Wingate sandstone walls of Long Canyon to a dazzling view across the high desert canyonlands (35 miles round trip).

After the Long Canyon ride 12 miles across the Hogback before exchanging cycling shoes for hiking shoes. It is a 3 mile hike to reach the desert oasis of the 126-foot tall Calf Creek Falls (an all time best swimming hole)!

Following Calf Creek Falls cyclists can pedal 12 miles back to the Boulder Mountain Lodge or shuttle. For dinner we’ll unwind and dine at the award-winning Hell’s Backbone Grill where gracious owners and wonderful hosts, Jenn and Blake, treat you to a truly delicious and eclectic offering of fine dining choices. Their restaurant has received numerous praise, including this New York Times Story.

Long Canyon: Day 2’s morning ride

Boulder Mountain Lodge

Burr Trail Elevation Profile: +2977 ft / -2974 ft

Calf Creek Falls Elevation Profile: +499 ft / -1794 ft

Day 3 (Tuesday): Boulder, Utah to Bryce Canyon National Park30-78 Miles with 2,000′ to 5,900′ of climbing

Today we head southwest towards Bryce Canyon National Park along Utah State Highway 12 – arguably one of the best cycling roads in the state, and perhaps the country. It twists and turns and climbs and dives among the ridges, mesas, and valleys of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, a 1.9 million acre spectacle of multi-hued cliffs and terraces, with distances that defy human perspective.

There are multiple mileage options available for today of between 30 to 78 miles from Boulder, Utah to Bryce Canyon. Do multiple “bumps” and cherry pick the sections you wish to ride, or go the full distance and experience the entire route. No matter what mileage option you choose, the highlight of today’s ride is certainly Highway 12 along the ridge of Hell’s Backbone – an awe inspiring exposed piece of highway dropping hundreds of feet on either side.

Lodging tonight is at The Lodge at Bryce Canyon within Bryce Canyon National Park. After a group dinner in the dining room at The Lodge, prepare to take an exhilarating night hike under the stars inside the park.

The Curvaceous Curves of Utah’s Highway 12

Riding along Utah’s world-class Highway 12

The Lodge at Bryce Canyon

Elevation Profile: +6090 ft / -4750 ft

Day 4: Bryce Canyon Rim Ride to Brian Head, Utah45-95 Miles

On Day 4 cyclists can opt for a sunrise ride from Bryce Canyon’s Rainbow Point back to the lodge for breakfast or sleep in and then join the riding.

Either way plan to stop many times along the way at the scenic overlooks to take in the spectacular views of the hoodoos, natural arches, pine forests and multi-hued sandstone chimneys of Bryce Canyon.

After the morning’s ride we’ll ride through Red Canyon for a 10-mile downhill. But don’t relax just yet. Next we’ll be making the biggest ascent of the tour: a monster 28-mile climb of nearly 4,000-feet to Brian Head, Utah and the Cedar Breaks National Monument. Feel free to opt for a “bump” up to Brian Head if you’re not quite up for the climb.

Today cyclists will ride from the mountains to the desert. From the lofty 10,000-foot elevations of Cedar Breaks National Monument there is nearly 9,500-feet of descending to Zion National Park. Cyclists will be entralled by the physical beauty and diversity of this world class ride.

The 2nd half of this ride offers what we consider as one of the top five cycling routes in the lower 48 states, the ride into Zion National Park from the it’s west entrance. The west entrance includes Checkerboard Mesa, 2,000-foot sandstone walls, the Zion Tunnel and the finally the switchbacks to the town of Springdale, Utah.

Tonight’s lodging is at the Cliffrose Lodge, located just outside the park and nestled upon the Virgin River.

Red Canyon bike path just outside Bryce Canyon

Switchbacks in Zion National Park

The Cliffrose Lodge in Springdale, Utah

Elevation Profile: +4021 ft / -9719 ft

Day 6: Zion National Park by bike and by footHiking or optional 10 to 17 mile rides

One of the best way to experience and explore Zion National Park is to hike its expansive trail system such as the Virgin River Narrows (if the water level permits), the remarkable Angel’s Landing trail (if you’re not afraid of heights!), the challenging Observation Point Trail, or a shorter walk to view Weeping Rock or Emerald Pools. The best way to get into and back from Zion National Park is to take the free Shuttle System which stops right at the Cliffrose Lodge.

For those wanting to get in another ride today, we suggest a morning ride back up the switchbacks to the entrance of Zion Tunnel and then back – a mere 10 mile spin and 1,000′ ascent/1,000′ descent to keep the legs loose and limber for an afternoon hike.

Another ride option is a 17 mile out and back ride into Zion National Park along car-free Zion Canyon Scenic Drive riding past majestic monuments such as The Sentinel, The Watchman, Court of the Patriarchs and Angels Landing to finally arrive at the Temple of the Sinawava. Then return back to the Cliffrose Lodge.

Looking to simply relax? Then Springdale also offers shopping opportunities at the many galleries and boutiques; or schedule a luxurious spa treatment; or enjoy the pool at the Lodge. In the late afternoon (Friday) we’ll meet up and shuttle back to the meeting hotel in St. George, Utah.

NOTE: After the shuttle to St. George guests arrange for their own shuttle back to Las Vegas. Additionally guests can choose to add on another night in Springdale to enjoy another day in Zion.

Virgin River Narrows

Relax poolside at the Cliffrose Lodge

10 Mile Ride Elevation Profile: + 1215 / – 1220 ft

17 Mile Ride Elevation Profile: + 1160 / – 1160 ft

Boulder, Bryce and Zion Bike Tour: Logistics & FAQs

Bike Shipping

Lizard Head Cycling recommends shipping with BikeFlights.com. Bikes can be shipped either to our partner
bike shop in each meeting town
for professional assembly or directly to the meeting hotel for self-assembly. Bike
boxes can generally be left at the
meeting hotel during the tour. Bikes shipped across the continental US should be
shipped 8 days prior to your tour.

Tour Support: A 15-passenger van and trailer that carries luggage, food and equipment supports Lizard Head Cycling’s tours. Cyclists keep a day bag that is accessible within the support vehicle.

The vehicle will sag and then pass riders to set up aid stations every 20 to 25 miles. This allows cyclists to linger at the back and then take a ten-mile, fifteen-mile or whatever mile “bump” forward to catch-up or get ahead of the group. Energy food, drink mixes, and fresh fruit are available throughout each stage.

The Daily Schedule: Cyclists ride their own pace. Lizard Head Cycling does its best to support riders in their varying desires and efforts. Cyclists can either use our tours to simply support their tour experience or to engage in a guided experience along the route.

Cue sheets with directions, profiles and locations of aid stations are given out for each stage.

General Tour & Cancellation
Policies

Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with all of our tour and
cancellation policies, which can be found by
clicking here.

Travel Insurance

Lizard Head Cycling Guides highly recommends clients purchase Travel Insurance through MH Ross Travel
Insurance. A policy can be purchased individually through the sales link below or Lizard Head Cycling Guides can
also set-up a policy for its clients.

The estimated cost for a 50-year old buying insurance for a $2,500 tour ranges from $100 (standard plan) to
about $200 (cancel for any reason plan).